We'll Turn Manhattan into an Isle of Joy
by Jellysnack
Summary: Santana holds her like she never wants to let go, she really doesn't. "Hi. I missed you so much." She kisses her again and again and again only stopping when she hears another voice next to her clear their throat.


I saw a thing on tumblr that had Naya Rivera and Rosario Dawson and it gave me feels.

* * *

Santana's spring break is two weeks and the flight to LaGuardia thankfully isn't too long. She plays the travel playlist that Brittany sent her two nights ago. Songs about New York and being in love have been her soundtrack since she checked her bag. She follows the signs through the airport that take her to baggage claim; it's the second time she'll look for her Cardinals duffle instead of her old worn Cheerios one. The first time was her first Christmas back home, it was also the last time she held Brittany in her arms.

Dinah Washington sings loudly through her earbuds as she watches the luggage spill onto the carousel. She's so lost in the words and colors of the suitcases coming towards her that she jumps at the familiar arms wrapping around her. Brittany plucks her earbuds out and kisses the shell of her ear.

"Hi baby." Brittany whispers before turning Santana in her arms to kiss her properly. Telling her just how much she's missed her in the best way.

Santana holds her like she never wants to let go, she really doesn't. "Hi. I missed you so much." She kisses her again and again and again only stopping when she hears another voice next to her clear their throat. Santana lets go of Brittany and is about to tear into the stranger until she sees who it is, "Tia!" She all but shrieks when she sees her aunt.

Her Tia Rosie pulls her into a hug and kisses her forehead, "Hey Monkey. Its good to see you." She squeezes her again before pushing her back to Brittany. "Who the hell told you two it was okay to grow up?" Both girls shrug as Rosie shakes her head, "Well stop. Next thing you know I'm going to be getting a wedding invitation in the mail." She shakes her head and ignores the way Brittany's cheeks flush and Santana opens and closes her mouth like a fish.

It takes another twenty minutes for Santana's duffle to slide onto the carousel; she's always had the worst luck at airports. They fill the time easily, talking about flights and things to do to fill their break in New York together before school pulls them apart. For the most part, Rosie watches as the two girls, women really, she's watched grow up talk like, well, grown ups. It makes her feel old in a satisfying sort of way, even though she's only ten years older.

Rosie ushers them into the back of a cab while telling the driver where to go. Both of their flights landed in the morning, so they've just missed the heavy rush hour traffic that leads them into Manhattan. "I still can't believe you live here." Santana tells her, even though she's visited a few times since she turned thirteen.

"Well, wait until you see the new place. It's much better than the old shit hole I was living in. Plus no weird roommates this time." Santana laughs as she remembers the last roommate she met, dude was obsessed, _obsessed _with some musical Santana had never heard of about conjoined twins. He wouldn't shut up about it. The one before that was into performance art, and not the good kind.

They get to the East Village and Santana already loves it. The old brick is much better than the horrible prison block high rise she visited in Brooklyn last year. She leads them up to the fourth floor and opens the door for them. Both of them are silently stunned as they take in the high ceiling and large windows that look out onto the surprisingly quiet street. Sketches cover most of the surfaces, some are framed on the walls. Santana's Tia is an artist, the kind that Santana has always been jealous of. She writes, paints, sketches, designs. Her college roommate needed a set designer for some off-Broadway play and now she's designing for a bunch of different shows. Rachel Berry would flip her shit if she knew.

"What do you think of the new place?" She smirks and Brittany totally knows where Santana got it now.

"Bad. Ass. Tia. Badass." She smiles as she takes in the loft and open kitchen.

"Why don't you two put your stuff down and we'll go get something to eat." She points to the loft and shows the up the stairs where a fold out sofa has been set up for the two of them. Santana shares a small smile with Brittany, they both know it's a big deal that them staying together isn't a big deal. Sometimes Santana still can't believe that she has people in her life who don't care that she'll be sharing a bed with her girlfriend.

They take a few minutes to put their things down and take turns washing the airplane grime from their faces. A few minutes later the three of them walk towards the subway and Santana pays for their subway passes and ignores the pout that Brittany gives her as she puts her wallet back into her purse. Rosie takes them a few stops down to a little Thai place that looks a little sketchy but Santana has always trusted Rosie and Brittany has always trusted Santana.

It turns out to be the best Thai food either of them have ever had and Brittany sees the trademark Lopez smirk for the second time that day. They spend the rest of the day wandering around the East Village, going into small shops and people watching while they eat frozen yogurt.

That night they both collapse onto the sofa bed, too tired from their day to do anything other that curl around each other and let sleep take them. They wake up to the smell of coffee and pancakes and Rosie humming a song that sounds vaguely familiar. It's how they'll wake up for the rest of their vacation (and a few years later it's how Brittany will wake up in their own apartment on days that Santana wakes up early).

They spend the first two days wandering around lower Manhattan and taking their time as they enjoy the city together. They talk about school, Santana is already on the honor roll and on her way to becoming one of the stars of the squad. All of her new friends had demanded that she come back with pictures of everywhere they go together. All of her Instagram comments are full of _awwwws_ and _you two are so cute's._ Brittany tells her how glee club just isn't the same with out everyone, but what she really means is that it isn't the same without _her._ But she's going to all of her classes and is getting all A's and B's on her tests. They talk about where she'll go after graduation. "You could come here and dance." Santana tells her as they walk by Lincoln Center on their fourth day there.

"I could," Brittany tells her, "but I don't know if that's what I want to do."

"What do you want to do?" She squeezes her hand to let her know that she'll be there, that she'll support her. Just like she's been doing while they're away. Santana makes sure her work is done so she can quiz Brittany via Skype.

"I think I want to teach." She says it quietly, and Santana is pretty sure it's the first time she's said it out loud.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I think you'd be a great teacher." She smiles even though Brittany is still looking at the ground, like she thinks Santana is going to be wearing her smirk that tells her she's being delusional.

"Really?"

"Really really. What do you want to teach?"

"I think I want to teach kids, like sixth grade or middle school. I want to make sure they're better prepared for high school."

"I think you'd be amazing Britt."

"I don't want kids to feel dumb."

It's then that Santana knows she's talking about herself, and she hears her sniffle and try to hide the fact that she's trying not to cry. "Hey," she stops them and pulls Brittany to the side, "You are not dumb. Okay? And you are going to be an amazing teacher."

Brittany doesn't say anything, but she pulls Santana so tight into her that it seems she's trying to make them one person. Maybe she is, or she's trying to absorb Santana's confidence. Maybe both.

That night they make love quietly in the streetlight that filters in through the large windows.

The second week they spend in museums and lounging in the grass in Central Park. Santana surprises Brittany with tickets to a play about Peter Pan (Brittany read the books to her little sister and got excited when she saw the billboard in Times Square) that they both love.

On their last night she makes Rosie take Brittany to one of the many Saturday flea markets so she can transform the roof into the romantic setting she's been picturing since she went up there a few nights ago. She strings light bulbs and sets up a table and chairs. She has pizza warming in the oven and beer (her Tia is really awesome) in the cooler, all she needs is the girl.

Brittany is delivered to the roof on time and Rosie sends Santana a wink before she heads back down into the apartment, she knows how important this is for her niece. Brittany stares at the roof and smiles as she takes in the skyline and setting sun. They have their pizza and beer as the sun sets, when they're done Santana plays the travel mix that Brittany made and smiles as she extends her hand in a silent request for a dance.

"I don't want to go back." Brittany sighs as they sway on the rooftop.

"Me neither. But soon we'll be able to do this all the time."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You'll be teaching kids awesome things about the world and I'll be doing something awesome and we'll live together and –"

"We'll be awesome?" Brittany chuckles.

"Exactly." She smiles up and kisses the corner of Brittany's mouth and smiles into another kiss as Brittany dips her.

"I have something for you." They both say at the same time and laugh nervously as they pull apart. "You first." They say again and laugh. Brittany presses her lips together and steps back for Santana to start.

"I love you. And this isn't me proposing but I'm promising that no matter what I am going to marry you one day. And that nothing is going to pull us apart. Nothing." She pulls out a sliver ring with hearts etched into the band and a small blue stone in the center. Brittany gasps as she holds her hand out for Santana and watches as she slides it onto her fourth finger. She smiles and pulls her close to kiss her. This kiss says _I love you _and _thank you for loving me._

Brittany pulls back, "I love you and I am totally going to marry you one day and we're going to be awesome. I know you don't like to wear rings when you're cheering, so I got you this." She pulls out a simple silver necklace with an infinity symbol on it. Their names engraved on either side of the loops. "I love you and I will love you forever." Santana turns and pulls her hair to the side so Brittany can put the necklace on her, she rests her hand over it and waits for Brittany to close the clasp before she turns and kisses Brittany like it's her last. (It isn't, tomorrow will be their last kiss until summer break) They don't want to think about tomorrow morning at the airport.

They stay up on the roof until the playlist runs out and then quietly make their way back inside where they undress each other quietly by the light of the bright moon and streetlights.

The next morning at the airport they hold each other tightly and promise to call as soon as they land. Rosie hugs both of them and tells them to call her and to come back and visit. And no, she didn't hear them having sex in the shower the other morning.

Five years later when they're moving into their first tiny sixth floor walk up they'll smile as Rosie brings them Thai food and helps them sort though their boxes. Brittany has a job at PS 81 while Santana has been helping a college friend manage a bar where she sings every Friday and Saturday night. It's the not the fame and fortune she thought they'd have when she was a senior, but they're both happy about starting this new part of their lives together.

It'll be another year before Rosie gets that wedding invitation in the mail.


End file.
